As the nights grow longer, the arrival of bright orange marigolds and colorfully painted skulls signals that Día de los Muertos is around the corner. The Mexican holiday celebrates late loved ones, who are believed to return to visit friends and family on Nov. 1 and 2, guided by altars (ofrendas) adorned with their favorite foods, sugar skulls (calaveras de ázucar) and skeleton figurines (calacas) as well as candles and bright orange marigolds (flor de cempasúchil).
The official holiday is a few weeks out, but the preparations are starting now. Last week, Oakland’s Fruitvale Plaza welcomed a 34-foot-tall Mexico City-made sculpture of Catrina, a beautifully dressed skeleton figure representing Mexican ancestry, with an Indigenous blessing, live mariachi music, ballet folklórico, TURF Inc. hip-hop dancers in skull makeup and remarks from Oakland mayor Barbara Lee.
The Catrina’s arrival kicked off the season, and here’s how you can continue the festivities around the Bay:
An altar made by artist Paty Tapia is displayed as part of the 5th Annual Avenida de Altares (Avenue of the Altars) at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose
Through Nov. 5, you can see ofrendas by local artists at the “Art of Remembrance” at the SJSU Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday, Oct. 24, the San Jose Museum of Art will host a Día de los Muertos Community Day with live entertainment and hands-on arts activities. From 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, the Mexican Heritage Plaza hosts its 10th annual Avenida de Altares, which will fill Alum Rock Avenue with altars honoring loved ones and also feature artisan vendors, hands-on art activities and live performances. Finally, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, the Children’s Discovery Museum hosts a celebration with sand painting with stencils, calavera painting, Marigold Butterfly mask making, Aztec dancers, giant skeleton puppets and a calacas procession led by Teatro Familia Aztlán, including a special stop at Lupe, the museum’s 14,000-year-old mammoth.
Details: The SJSU library exhibit and the festival at the Mexican Heritage Plaza, 1700 Alum Rock Ave., are free; see library.sjsu.edu/artofremembrance and mhplaza.org/allevents/avenida26. The Community Day at the San Jose Museum of Art, 110 S. Market St., is free but online registration is requested at sjmusart.org. Tickets for the Children’s Discovery Museum, 180 Woz Way, run $20-$22; cdm.org.
Athena Marbury, of San Francisco, carefully paints her face during the 30th annual Dia de los Muertos Festival in Oakland on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland
From noon to 4 p.m. nearly every Saturday in October, the Unity Council is hosting events to celebrate the arrival of the three-story-tall La Catrina de Oakland sculpture to Fruitvale Village. Oct. 10 is the family-oriented Fruitvale Familia with activities, entertainment and local vendors; Oct. 17 is Flavors of Fruitvale culinary celebration; and Oct. 24 is Oakland Youth Day centering the talents of young people. The festivities wrap up with the massive Día de los Muertos Festival on Nov. 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The popular free festival at Fruitvale Village includes live music, altar exhibits, Aztec rituals, arts and crafts, tasty food, rides and games for kids and a parade of low-rider vehicles.
Details: Fruitvale Village, 3301 E. 12th St., Oakland; unitycouncil.org/program/diaoakland
Oakland Museum of California’s long-running Día de los Muertos Community Celebration, which kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 25, with a formal procession to the central altar and leads into performances by musicians, poets and dance groups. There’s a vendor market for Day of the Dead crafts, sugar skull-decorating tutorials, calavera face painting and hands-on art-making stations. Food spans the board from tamales to ice cream and tacos to warm and comforting atole drinks.
Details: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 25, 1000 Oak St., Oakland; $10 entry, museumca.org
Mountain View
On Saturday, Nov. 7, the Día de los Muertos festival will fill the Civic Center Plaza with color and sound, including a showcase of ofrendas and performers from Mexico, Colombia and other Latin countries. Children can get their faces painted, make flower headbands and decorate sugar skulls, all for free.
Details: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 7, 500 Castro St., Mountain View; mountainview.gov.
The lowrider cars show featured trunk altars displayed during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in downtown Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attire enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Martinez
During the city’s Día de los Muertos festival, Plaza Ignacio Park in Martinez will display ofrendas built by local residents for those who have passed. Hosted by the city and the Martinez Arts Association, the family-friendly daytime gathering takes place from noon to 4 p.m. Kids can learn to make a nicho, a traditional folk-art shadow box honoring a loved one, at the Martinez Library from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.
Details: The festival is noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, Plaza Ignacio Park, 550 Henrietta St., Martinez; cityofmartinez.org; the library workshop is 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, Martinez Library, 740 Court St. Martinez; ccclib.bibliocommons.com/v2/events?locations=16.
Redwood City
This year’s Día de los Muertos celebration in Redwood City will feature face painting, sugar skull workshops, chalk art, live performances and art installations, altar contests, and a procession. This year’s theme is Tlaxcala, a region rich in history and Indigenous heritage.
Details: Sunday, Nov. 8, Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City; casacirculocultural.org/adult-initiative/dia-de-los-muertos.
Half Moon Bay
Ayudando Latinos A Soñar hosts “Catrinas, Calabazas y Cumbia,” a free Día de los Muertos celebration in downtown Half Moon Bay from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, featuring a Cumbiatron dance party, Aztec dancers, face painting, sugar-skull decorating, vendors, and more. Then from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, and Sunday, Nov. 1, Skylawn Memorial Park hosts its Día de los Muertos celebration with a prayer service, a remembrance walk, mariachi music, Aztec dance, ballet folklorico and raffle prizes. On Saturday, there will also be an early-morning 5K fun run with a costume contest at the end.
Details: ALAS festival is noon-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, 507 Purisma St., downtown Half Moon Bay; instagram.com/alashmb. The Skylawn celebrations are 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31-Sunday, Nov. 1, 888 LifeMark Road, Half Moon Bay; skylawnmemorialpark.com.
Antioch
On Thursday, Oct. 29, handmade altars from businesses and community organizations will go up around the Nick Rodriguez Community Center in Antioch. Then, on Sunday, Nov. 1, the city’s free Día de Los Muertos Celebration offers a Catrina contest, live music and dance performances, face painting and food and drink vendors.
Details: Nov. 1 at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center, 213 F St., Antioch; free, antiochca.gov/225/Da-de-Los-Muertos-Celebration
Gilroy
Gilroy’s La Ofrenda Festival is also a wellness fair, with its stated mission is to celebrate and preserve “Latine and Indigenous traditions” and “bridge the gap between arts, culture and wellness.” Features include a street of altars, a Calavera Bike Cruise, lucha libre, live music and performances, a grand altar and “lowfrendas” or ofrendas in lowriders.
Details: 1-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, Downtown Gilroy; laofrendafestival.com.